I’ve always been a loyal thinkpad user, since the good old IBM days. For the last seven years I’ve used classic models like T61, T23, R51 to the modern ones x220, t420, w510. It always amaze me how durable they are and how easy to dissemble and reassemble the whole machine. My current configuration of my main machine today is:
w510:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Q820
RAM: 16GB
Boot HD:Patriot Pyro SE 120 GB SSD
Second HD: 1TB HD (more on how to do this)
Video: NVIDIA Quadrop FX 880M
Display: FHD (1920X1080)
By today’s standard, it still is quite a beefy machine (I did most of the reconfiguration last year in 2011). The CPU, video and display remains unchanged as stock configuration from lenovo. I’ll illustrate adding the RAM and the second HD below. With a little hacking and research before purchase, the whole machine of the above configuration can be had for under $1500.
===RAM===
This is the simplest bit–you simply buy 4X4GB RAM (if you original configuration is 2GB or 2X2GB) then install them. It doesn’t matter what brand of RAM you use, as long as it’s suitable for laptops (Desktop RAM are larger in size thus cannot be used). Some people would recommend use RAM from the same manufacture to ensure consistency.
A quick google shopping search shows today (April 2012)’s RAM price is about $35 for 2*4GB RAM, that gives you 16GB RAM under $100.
For upgrading RAM, you will need:
1. A Philips screw driver
2. Lenovo w510 Maintenance Manual, specifically p.88-p.97, “Removing and replacing a FRU”. Or a video reference if you prefer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBEzYombu2c
Note: If you only need 8GB, you may use the easily accessible 2 DIMM slots. The other two are located under the keyboard, which is just takes a little more time.
===2nd HD===
If you seldom use your optical drive, you might find replacing the optical drive with a 2nd HD more useful to you. This solution can make life simple in a lot of cases: If you want to move your old HD from your old laptop to a new laptop, or if you want to have a SSD as boot drive for speed and a larger drive for storage. Currently I am using the SSD+HDD solution, 120GB SSD + 1TB HDD means I don’t have to carry a portable HD with my laptop and it boots to Windows7 in under 20 second, it’s all in one package, which is a huge win.
For upgrading a 2nd HD, you will need:
1. Buy a customized 2nd HDD caddy.
I bought mine from ebay for $12 with free shipping (there is quite a few seller from HK, just do a ebay search and find the best price for yourself). Make sure you buy the one with a cover, not just a metal box. A simply way to tell is to remove your optical drive and compare the look of your optical drive and the photo from ebay, if it matches, it’s good. For people that feel unsure about ebay seller from China, there are also US sellers selling on amazon or other more “trustworthy” website, just do a google shopping search and you’ll find they run about $40-$50. Maybe you get better customer service, who knows. The one I got works quite good, there is a LED that will blink when the drive is in use, leave no gap and can be easily removed in the same way as the optical drive.
2. same philips screw driver
3. Lenovo w510 Maintenance Manual, specifically p.88-p.97, “Removing and replacing a FRU”. A video reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCV452OgNkw
Note: Once you install the 2nd HDD, you have a choice to boot from either one. This comes in handy when your 2nd HDD is from your old laptop. Just press the “ThinkVantage” blue button when you boot after the laptop is re-assembled, Choose boot and you should see your two HDDs or SSD along with USB, .etc. Mine shows “Patriot Pyro SE 120GB” and “Samsung 1TB”, just use F5 and F6 to move the one you prefer to the top then reboot.
Note: if you boot from your old HDD, you might need to re-install the necessary drivers: W510 drivers from Lenovo.
Eurika! You now have a beefy, top build quality, granny-proof thinkpad workstation that awaits heavy development work.